A smart man once said that “Every election is determined by the people who show up”. And with such an important election on the line, you all showed up! You recognized that democracy is not a spectator sport. It's messy. It’s difficult. And it requires all of us to roll up our sleeves and get to work. And work you did. I owe this victory to each one of you. To those who donated their treasures or volunteered their time. To those who reminded their friends to vote and to those who voted themselves. Our victory is sweeter because we earned it together. And all of you have the eternal thanks of a grateful Judge.

I also want to thank my love, my life partner, and the most supportive–and candid–-individual I know: my wife, Rachel Sakai.

And even though my children, George and Elizabeth, and my grandchildren, Jackson, Geff, and Grayson, cannot join me tonight, I am thankful for their support and for always sharing their father and grandfather with their community. I am also so grateful to my phenomenal sister Kathy and my amazing brother Randy and his wife, Beverly.

And just over a year ago, we created a diverse team–the A TEAM–which is truly reflective of our community.

[List of Thank-yous]

Their collective hard work, brilliant strategies, and creativity came together in a magical way. And I will be forever grateful.

Finally, I have to thank the man who is leaving a very big bandana to fill: Judge Nelson Wolff. Over the past 2 decades, he has defined the role of the County Judge. On the campaign trail, plenty of folks didn't know what the “County Judge” was, but they knew who Nelson Wolff was. Under his leadership, our county has overcome some of its largest challenges, and it has experienced unparalleled growth. Judge Wolff will forever be entwined in the fabric of our community. Their legacies are inextricably linked. But as we honor the legacy of Judge Wolff, we also have to consider the type of legacy we want to leave.

In early 2008, halfway through Judge Wolff's 2nd term, we found our economy in a state of disrepair. The institutions we trusted flew too close to the sun, and the American people got burned. Bexar County was hit especially hard. Many of our neighbors lost their homes. Even more lost their jobs. And we all felt the impact of rising costs and lowered wages. Folks struggled, but they didn’t give up. Leaders like Judge Wolff inspired hope through their actions. He created job opportunities that lifted the median household income. He worked with programs focused on developing our workforce. And he led this county as we exited that crisis. He saw that from the ashes of that hardship came an era of opportunity.

12 years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought our community back to ashes. It caused a health crisis of massive proportions. It squeezed the life out of our economy. And it separated and divided us from each other. It was an unprecedented challenge. But as we emerge from it, it is also leaving us with an unprecedented era of opportunity. So how will we rise to meet this moment?

We’ll breathe new life into our economy by investing in small businesses. We’re gonna change the way contractors are chosen to do business with County Government. And we’ll make sure that when we’re building Bexar county, we’re also building up local businesses.

We’ll also bring our justice system back up to speed. COVID created a backlog of cases that is stalling justice and overcrowding our jails. That's why I’ll create Rocket Dockets to tackle these backlogs and get our justice system on the right track.

And we’ll address the inequality of internet access in Bexar County. As County Judge, I will bring every resource, and every public/private partnership, at my disposal towards this necessary goal: We are going to close the digital divide!

There are some who thought these ideas were too lofty. That our sights are set too high. But to those folks, I say: You must not know Bexar County. When we’ve been knocked down, we built back stronger. When we’ve faced a challenge, we banded together. And today, when our future was on the line, we voted like our county depended on it! Tonight's victory belongs to all of us. But so does the work that lies ahead. We can and we must seize this era of opportunity.

And when we do, we’ll see Bexar County change for the better. We’ll see new jobs being created. We’ll see more homeowners–building generational wealth. We’ll see our property taxes go down and the quality of healthcare go up. And we will, as scripture dictates “take care of the least of us”. We are going to make Bexar County a better place for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. That will be our legacy.

Thank you all. God bless you. And God bless Bexar County.

Good evening. Thank you for having me.

When I was asked to speak tonight, I was truly honored. The extraordinary work of Willie Velasquez has long inspired me and so many others who are dedicated to protecting civil liberties and making sure everyone has a voice in our democracy.

And thank you to the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project for inviting me. They’re working day and night to register and turn out Latino voters across the southwest. And as a native Texan, I can tell you that the work you all are doing is strengthening our county, our state, and our country by engaging more people in our democracy. The work is ongoing, but as many of you know, it started back in 1974 when Willie Velasquez founded the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.

That same year, I was a sophomore in college, at what is now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. That time was an era of reckoning, not just for Hispanic voters, but for voters across the nation.

And the 1970s saw many challenges. Those of us who remember, remember Vietnam and Watergate. We remember the “War on Drugs” and we remember the “No Gas” signs at the pump. But hopefully, we also remember these challenges not just as history, but as moments we made progress. Because this era was not only defined by its challenges, but by our capacity to overcome them.

In 1970, America celebrated its first Earth Day. In 1972, although it wasn’t ratified, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1974, America showed the resilience of its democracy. And in 1975, we pulled out of Vietnam and moved towards an era of peacetime.

It’s never been perfect, but we have shown time and time again that every step we make toward our founding ideals becomes a stride taken toward fulfilling the American promise.

But neither these struggles, nor these ideals, are unique to a time and place, but rather to a people: the American people.

America today faces its own set of challenges, but we’ve seen them before. Roe v Wade was overturned and women were once again left without equal rights. The Dobbs decision separated women from their right to bodily autonomy. And it’s left their health and safety in the balance.

We continue to face a climate crisis after years of too much pollution and too little accountability. We’re feeling the all-too-real effects of the worsening fires, hurricanes, and snowstorms that leave us without power.

Those who deny this environmental crisis are also questioning the integrity of our elections. On January 6th, our nation’s capital fell victim to a violent attack. We narrowly withstood this threat to our Democracy.

And senseless violence came tragically close to home when our neighbors in Uvalde lost children, friends, and loved ones in the shooting at Robb Elementary School.

These challenges we face aren’t small, but we’ve seen them before. And we’ve overcome them.

When Willie Velasquez noticed the challenges Latinos faced when voting, he took action.

When scientists in the 70’s became aware of the impending climate crisis, they spoke up and began advocating.

And when violence or corruption impacted our politics or invaded our communities, voters like you and I made their voices heard and became the change that our country needed. We can, and we must, do this again.

I can’t overstate what's on the line in this election. But what I can do is remind you how important you are in determining the future of our county, our state, and our country. We need all voters, especially Hispanic and Latino voters, to show up on November 8th. We need you to support candidates you believe in and organizations like the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project who protect voting rights. And most importantly, We need you to use that right, and vote, vote, vote!

Every vote matters. But when we use our votes together, we can uplift communities. We can lower property taxes. We can keep our children safe while improving their education. And we can make sure that everyone - in Bexar County and beyond - has a fair shot at making a better life for themselves and their families. I know we can build a bridge to a brighter future for Bexar County and our country.

I’ll leave with a quote from Helen Keller. “Alone, we can do so little. [but] Together, we can do so much”

With only 10 days until early voting starts, just imagine the things we will do together.

In the words of Cesar Chaves “¡SI SE PUEDE!”.

Thank you, and Goodnight!

Hello, everybody. Thank you to the Northeast Bexar County Democrats, and to all of you, for allowing me to spend the day with you and your families. For those of you who know me, it’s very good to see you all again. And for those of you here for the roast chicken - I’m Joe Gonzales, your District Attorney.

I was first elected to this office four years ago. But I wasn’t always a lawyer, and I certainly wasn’t always your District Attorney. No, before I ever asked a judge for a sentence or asked a supporter for a contribution…I was asking “Do you want fries with that"? I worked in the fast food industry to put myself through college. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was what I had to do. I was a first-generation college student. My mother only went as far as the 9th grade. You see, my grandparents had to pull her out of school every year to work in the fields as a migrant worker. She fell so far behind that she dropped out. When I went to college I had to navigate through the challenges of applications, registration, and financial forms on my own, but I made it through. And today, I lead the biggest public law firm in San Antonio.

As you may have surmised, I had a humble start. I grew up on the West Side of San Antonio. My mom - a single mother - worked the night shift at Kelly Air Force Base. Thanks to her labor union, the American Federation of Government Workers, she was able to make an honest wage and provide for me and my 4 siblings. Watching her taught me the values of hard work, keeping your chin up, and doing what it takes to take care of your family. These are the values that I know we all share. We share them with our healthcare workers. We share them with our teachers. We share them with our food service workers, our construction workers, and with all of the hardworking people of Bexar County. I want to talk to you about these working-class values. But I also want to talk to you about the history of the working class.

140 years ago, our country was in the midst of a revolution. Factories were overtaking cities and Americans were breaking their backs to keep up. The average American worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and was paid little more than a dollar a day. Children were worked like adults. And they, just like their parents, were oppressed and endangered by their employers. At that time “labor law” was a contradiction in terms.

But in 1882, on the first Monday of September, something changed. 10,000 men, women, and children walked out on their employers and spent a day marching the streets of New York. They were tired of being undervalued and overworked. Being pushed too far and respected too little.

This march spurred a Labor movement that unionized workers, protected their rights, and enshrined the first Labor Day. That first labor day was organized by democrats and union leaders. It was established as a federal holiday by Grover Cleavland, a democratic president. And it was celebrated by men and women with sore backs and rough hands who believed in that fundamental democratic value that they should be able to earn an honest day's pay for an honest day's work.

That Labor movement spread across the nation; from New York to Texas to California. And then that movement was taken from the streets and into the voting booth. Voters, and the representatives they elected, enshrined the rights of workers to law. Protecting the American Dream for generations to come.

As your District Attorney, It’s my job to protect that dream too. For your small business to thrive, I need to keep the streets safe. For you to work that second shift while your kids are at home, I need to keep your families safe. And for the next Toyota or Valero or USAA to move here, create new jobs, and re-energize our economy, I need to keep violent crime low and make Bexar County a safe and desirable place to work.

And in my District Attorney's Office, that's what we’re working every day to do. The year I took office, I resolved over 28,000 felony cases, more than the previous 4 years. When I took office, I created a family violence division, which more than doubled the number of domestic violence cases that passed through my office. In the 3.5 years I’ve been in office, my team and I have kept families safe in Bexar county. We’ve kept businesses safe in Bexar County. And we have kept the American Dream safe in Bexar County.

But the work doesn't end there. Protecting the American dream also means protecting people when our Justice system isn’t fair. That’s why criminal justice reform is so important. Because it means not throwing the book at first time, non-violent offenders. These folks should participate in restorative justice. Be held accountable in ways that benefit the community and give them a second chance. Because I don't believe a person who gets caught with less than an ounce of marijuana should lose out on the American dream. I don't believe a kid who tags a train car should lose out on the American dream. And I certainly don’t believe that a woman who gets an abortion or the doctor who performs it should lose out on their American Dream.

140 years ago, 10,000 men, women, and children walked out on their employers to protect our American Dream. Today, it’s union leaders. It's me and my team. And it’s democrats elected across Bexar County who are protecting that dream. But this November we can't do it alone. We need you to stand up. We need you to go vote. And we need you to help us protect your American dream right here in Bexar County!

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless Bexar County.

Even before I joined the military, I knew the value of public service. Now, as an attorney working as a public defender, I go above and beyond the call of duty for my clients - because everyone deserves a fair trial.

My name is Erica Dominguez and I am running for Judge of County Court-at-Law #6 where the veterans' specialty court resides. I understand the distinct struggles of veterans because I am one. You can trust that I will serve justice with an even but understanding hand.

Scripture tells us, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” I know that many of you are disappointed - I am too. But even though we are disappointed by tonight's loss, I hope that tomorrow, a new day, heralds a season of hope. In this great democratic process, oftentimes, other people win. I have conceded to my opponent and I wish her the best of luck moving forward. Our district's future is in her hands, and I offer my prayers and well wishes as she embarks on a journey toward righteous stewardship.

Before I continue, I want to take a moment and thank all of the wonderful people here tonight who worked so hard for this campaign.

[List of Thank-yous]

Lastly, I want to thank all of you. Whether you block-walked or phone-banked for me, donated to my campaign, voted for me, or even voted for my opponent - thank you for taking part in this election and making your voice heard.

The truth is that District 5 is bigger than any one person. District 5 is an ever-changing community with unique needs. The people of this district have decided that someone else is better suited to meet those needs, and I accept that. While I will not serve as your City Councilman, I will still be your neighbor. I share your aspirations, and I will continue to serve in this community through whatever avenues are available to me. Thank you for showing me so much support over the course of the campaign. My hope is that the ideas that were expressed here live past this election cycle. Hope is what will keep our district, and our city, on the right course.